Cougars Stay Hot, Win Ninth Straight
July 5, 2015 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Kane County Cougars News Release
CLINTON, Iowa- Close ballgames late into the contest still have no phase on the Kane County Cougars (9-1, 45-33) as they collected their ninth consecutive victory with a 6-3 win over the Clinton LumberKings (3-7, 29-45) Saturday night at Ashford University Field.
In a split-venue, four-game series against the LumberKings, the Cougars took the first two contests in Geneva before celebrating Independence Day in Clinton, Iowa.
For the first time in the series, the Cougars struck first on Ildemaro Vargas' RBI groundout in the third inning, but Clinton tied things up with a run in the fourth.
Cougar starter Brad Keller (4-7) escaped a few jams in the first and third frames, but induced a pivotal groundball double play off the bat of Kristian Brito to only allow Clinton one run in the fourth inning. Keller left the game after five innings of one-run baseball, but his offense provided retook the lead, along with insurance, for a better chance at the win.
Bringing eight batters to the plate in the sixth inning, the Cougars scored four runs off of Clinton's starter Jeffeson Medina (4-7) although three of the runs were unearned, Michael Perez, Galli Cribbs, Victor Reyes and Vargas all provided run scoring plays.
Once again the bullpen became a big story as Jose Martinez tossed two perfect innings in the sixth and seventh, including four strikeout. Clinton's offense collected four straight singles against in the eighth frame, but the right-hander stranded a pair of base runners to keep the Cougars in front 5-3.
After Marty Herum's ninth inning triple helped provide another insurance run for the Cougars, Zac Curtis took the mound in search of his league-leading 18th save. On his 23rd birthday, the left-handed closer retired a trio of LumberKings in order for his second save in as many days and fourth in the last six Cougar games.
The Cougars remain the hottest team in the Midwest League, winning 14 of their last 15 contests. Along with a seven-road-game winning streak, the Cougars haven't lost at home in over a month.
The Cougars look to sweep in the series finale against Clinton on Sunday afternoon. Markus Solbach (7-2, 2.69) will take the mound against Clinton's Zach Littell (2-3, 3.45). First pitch from Ashford University Field is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
Midwest League Stories from July 5, 2015
- TinCaps Bounce Back, Stay Hot at Home vs. Dayton - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Perdomo's 8 Shutout Innings Beat Bandits - Quad Cities River Bandits
- LumberKings Fall to KC as Defense Falters Early - Clinton LumberKings
- Five-Run Sixth Pushes Hot Rods Past Cubs, 9-4 - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- Kernels Beat Bees, 9-6 - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- TinCaps Top Dragons 5-2 on Sunday - Dayton Dragons
- Bees Routed by Kernels in Series Finale - Burlington Bees
- Loons Thrash Whitecaps to Snap Slide - Great Lakes Loons
- Cougars on 10-Game Winning Streak - Kane County Cougars
- Offense Explodes, Perdomo Dominant Sunday - Peoria Chiefs
- Rattlers hang on to beat Beloit - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Captains Steal Home and Game, 8-5 - Lansing Lugnuts
- Captains Rally in the Ninth for Sweep - Lake County Captains
- Bandits Cap Competing in Clash of the Caps - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Loons Fireworks Snap Whitecaps Win Streak at Four - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Cougars Stay Hot, Win Ninth Straight - Kane County Cougars
- Dragons Notes for Sunday - Dayton Dragons
- Laureano's Blast Beats Fireworks, Chiefs - Quad Cities River Bandits
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